At the outset, it can be assumed that inflation, wars and crises will continue to limit companies’ willingness to experiment and take risks. Anyone expecting a revolution in marketing in 2023 will be disappointed. However, it is also clear that the marketing world will not stand still in 2023. Medium- to long-term developments are generally difficult to predict at the moment. Nevertheless, it is possible to forecast key areas for the coming year – and we will, of course, stay tuned. Here are five of the strongest marketing trends for 2023:

1. The trend is going to the brand

2023. We live in (not only) economically uncertain times. In such, people prefer secure relationships. Therefore, not only brands will be less willing to experiment in 2023 – so will customers. So brands should focus on building and maintaining the brand-customer relationship and a strong brand mission statement. It is quite possible that these will be the key differentiators in the fiercely competitive marketplace in the coming year. The focus should also be on ensuring that customers are not additionally burdened by their own brand. Reliably fulfilling the basic functions of brands will be at the heart of brand management in 2023.

2. Omnichannel marketing

Omnichannel marketing – the approach of creating a holistic customer journey across all touchpoints and channels, optimally personalized – will continue to gain in importance. Personal advice in stores, hotlines and chatbots, newsletter e-mails and SMS, websites and own apps – all this is increasingly becoming a necessity in order not to lose touch. A holistic image of the brand must be created across all channels. The boundaries between the channels are therefore becoming blurred. A marketing strategy that is specifically geared to one channel will increasingly become a thing of the past. Nevertheless, care must be taken to address specific channels and target groups. Otherwise, customers will not feel addressed and the hoped-for effect will fizzle out.

3. Social, social and again social.

The social networks will also significantly shape marketing in 2023. It will be exciting to see how existing and new networks develop. BeReal is definitely a trend network. Can it continue to expand its importance – especially among the younger generations? What opportunities for sponsored content will arise?
Social commerce will continue to gain in importance for many companies, and for many companies it will even become existential. Ordering processes will become less complicated. Optimally, they are designed in such a way that the app or page no longer needs to be left and purchases can be made with just a few clicks. Companies must keep up with this trend to avoid losing touch. Social selling will continue to move into the focus of B2C companies. Social listening will become crucial in order to be as close as possible to the customer. Brand-customer relationships will no longer work in the future if social networks are left out of the equation when it comes to shaping them.
More on the topic of social listening can be found here.

4. Honest sustainability

Sustainability – on everyone’s lips for years. This will not change in 2023. What has changed, however, is consumer awareness of dishonest sustainability. Greenwashing is one of the biggest own goals a brand can score. Mechanisms such as CO2 compensation are also being viewed much more critically. For example, no one buys Fifa’s claim that the World Cup in Qatar was climate-neutral. Nor does anyone buy that the DFB jerseys were made from ocean waste – a bad “PR move”! Because in the long run, consumers punish contrived sustainability – and honor honest communication. It doesn’t necessarily have to be huge, world-changing projects. Regional sustainability will continue to gain in importance in 2023. In questions of sustainability, it is more advisable to take small but credible steps toward the goal and thus also sustainable brand management and communication.

5. Employer Branding

Not a new trend, but one that remains important. It is not only the shortage of skilled workers that is causing the courting of qualified workers of today and tomorrow to intensify. Companies and their marketers have to come up with something to cope with the competition. Monetary incentives alone are not the decisive factor here – especially for Generations Y and Z. The key to success is the ability to work in a team. Rather, it is a matter of points such as diversity, remote working models, further training opportunities, work-life balance and Co. Also in 2023, one of the central challenges for employers will be to create an attractive working environment and – above all – to communicate this and thus to continuously profile their own employer brand.

What measures characterize convincing employer branding? This way and get in touch!